Payal Pratap's Botanical Denim Collection Debuts at Lakme Fashion Week 2026

Developed using R|Elanâ„¢'s advanced fibre and fabric technologies, the collection highlighted how responsible materials can translate into distinctive fashion aesthetics, enabling designers to create garments that combine comfort, durability, sustainability and design excellence, as per the press release.

Rooted in personal memory and nature, 'Memories Pressed in Time' reflects designer Payal Pratap's childhood experiences surrounded by plants, gardens and changing seasons. Botanical forms drawn from leaves and foliage become the foundation of the collection's visual language, appearing as prints, textures and surface details across denim silhouettes.

The collection explored botanicals, memory and denim as a living canvas through sustainable and advanced R|Elanâ„¢ performance fabrics

Payal Pratap, the eponymous label of designer Payal Pratap Singh, has long explored the relationship between nature, craft and textile storytelling. For this collection, the designer turns to her childhood memories, particularly those shaped by her mother's gardens and a life surrounded by plants, foliage and seasonal change. These experiences form the emotional foundation of the collection, where botanical forms translate into prints, textures and surface details.

Speaking about the collection, Payal Pratap said in a statement, "My growing years were surrounded by my green fingered mother and her myriad gardens. Those times are like fossils of my past bringing me warmth with each reminiscence. This collection reflects the quiet poetry of botanicals and the subtle life of flora and fauna. The prints you see in the collection are derived from actual leaves and foliage from my garden. Art works were created using these ferns and palms and then printed digitally as well as via laser on the denims."

Hemant D Sharma, President - Polyester, Reliance Industries Limited, said, "At Reliance, our core values are rooted in sustainability, innovation, circularity and creating meaningful impact through advanced technologies and research. R|Elanâ„¢ embodies this vision by bringing together cutting-edge fibre science, responsible manufacturing and performance-driven design to enable the future of sustainable fashion. It is inspiring to see designers like Payal Pratap transform these advanced materials into aesthetically striking and thoughtfully crafted ensembles. Her collection beautifully demonstrates how R|Elanâ„¢ fabrics can translate sustainability into contemporary design, where innovation, nature and craftsmanship come together to create garments that are both visually compelling and environmentally responsible."

Denim forms the central material of the collection, approached as a fabric that evolves over time and carries memory through texture and wear. In this narrative, denim becomes a living canvas, capturing impressions of nature while reflecting the passage of time, as per the press release.

The R|Elanâ„¢ x Payal Pratap collection draws visual cues from botanicals and the subtle life of flora and fauna. Leaves, wild stems and floral forms appear pressed into indigo surfaces, echoing delicate records of nature captured over time. Cyanotype-inspired prints create silhouettes reminiscent of botanical studies, while tonal embroidery, patchwork and washed finishes evoke landscapes shaped by weather, touch and everyday life.

Silhouettes lean towards relaxed, oversized denim forms that feel both grounded and intimate. Jackets, skirts, gilets and dresses feature bold foliage prints and layered textures, designed with movement and everyday wear in mind. Texture is further developed through applique pleats, quilting and distressed washes that give the garments a lived-in quality.

Nature's imprint runs through the entire collection, with elements appearing almost fossilised into the denim surface. With every wash and wear, the fabric evolves, echoing the designer's reflection on memory itself, where something is always lost and something gained with time, as per the press release.

In line with the runway collection's focus on sustainability and fabric innovation, the show's standout feature was its striking ramp design. Crafted using recycled PET bottles and repurposed denim scraps, the runway's centerpiece took the form of a dramatic canopy made entirely of reused textiles. Beneath it, models sashayed gracefully, bringing the thoughtfully designed collection to life.

The R|Elanâ„¢ x Payal Pratap showcase at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI continued to highlight the role of sustainable materials and thoughtful design in contemporary fashion. Rooted in craft and guided by nature, the collection presented denim not just as a fabric, but as a living surface that deepens with every story it carries, as per the press release.

- ANI